Method of forming brake drums



Feb. 17, 1942. J. E.-BATIE METHOD OF FORMING BRAKE DRUMS Filed Nov. 4, 1940 FIG'.4.

FIG. I.

'FIG.5.

' INVE N TOR.

Patented Feb. 17, 1942 METHOD OF FORMING BRAKE DRUMS Joseph 1:. Batie, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Kelsoy-Hayes Wheel Company, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware;

Application November 4, 1940, Serial No. 364,308

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9Claims.' (cue-zoo The invention relates to the manufacture of brake drums and refers more particularly to the manufacture of composite brake drums having lined shells.

The invention has for an object to provide an improved method of forming brake drums which will produce 'a relatively light weight composite brake drum with sufficient strength to readily withstand the stresses to which it is subjected and having an efllcient long lifed brake engaging surface. v

The invention has for another object to provide an improved method by means of which a plurality of brake drums are formedduring the carrying out of the method.

The invention has for further objects to provide an improved method by means of which the Figure 4 is a central section through the brake drum and insert assembly as formed at the end of the step illustrated in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a central section illustrating the completed brake drum.

In carrying outmy method of forming brake drums, I'start with the sheet metal brake drum shell i, as illustrated in Figure l. .This shell is preferably formed from 'a flat sheet steel blank by suitable drawing operations and comprises the annular brake flange 2. and the integral formed with the enlarged portion 4 terminating in the radial flange 5.

In carrying out my method/the brake'drum The brakenange at its free edge is This assembly ispreferably carried out I radial portion.

' completed brake drum will have an annular sealg insert is an annulus having its'body formed preferably of cast iron and a sume formed of a suitable refractory material The insert has the outer radial portion I which is located etween the radial flanges i of the shells", the oppositely extending airial portions I which are preferably taperedvtowardftheir free edges and which. are adapted *to closelyfflflt within the enlarged portions 4 of the shells, and the inner radial portion 9 which is preferably'of less width than the outer annular insert restingjon'i the free edge'of; the lower shell and the uDDershell resting on the insert is heated to a: temperature in the neighborhod of '1300 F. and this heating is accomplished, as shown.'by positionihg the assembly substantially vertically within the furnace I having, in 'the present instance, the hood II which is adapted to be lowered to enclose the assembly and raised to clear the assembly. The assembly while being transferred. to and 'from the furnace is supported by me'ansrengaging the lower face of the radial flange i of the lower shell and this means is preferably a yoke l2 carried upon the rod H. The rod is longitudinally moved to carry the assembly into the central zone of the furnace, after which the rod is lowered during the lowering of the hood H to clear the assembly during' the heating. After the heating, the hood II 'is ;raised,'as is also the rod and then the rod is longitudinally moved to carry the assembly beyond the furnace. Figure 2 diagrammatically illustrates this apparatus,

After the'heating of theassembly. itis" positioned in the rotatable work holder It, illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. The holder is driven by the electric motor I! and comprises the vrelatively movable axially aligned sections 15 and II, the latter, as shown, being movable axially toward and away from the former byisuitable means, such as the air cylinder II. The holder has the radial portion I 9 for abutting aradialflange 5 of the adjacent shell. .The holderjalso'preferably has the annular series of angularlispaced lands 20 for engaging the outer face of the brake flange of the adjacent shell. It will thus be seen that the sections serve toclamp the shells'and especially their radial flanges. tightly against the annular insert and; more particularly, its outer radial portion, atwhich time the axial portions of the annular insert' tightly engage the free edge portions of the inner u'surfaces of the enlarged-portions 4. .-Also,"-that;the sections serve to position the shells in axial alignm'ehtand true their 'brake flanges. With the sections ln clamp- The assembly comprising ;the Y ing position and their axes substantially horizontal, the electric motor is started and when the desired speed of rotation has been reached fluid brake engaging material, which is preferably molten iron, is poured simultaneously against the inner surfaces of the brake flanges and the annularinsert, the temperature of the molten iron being such that it fuses to or molecularly bonds with the steel of the shells. .This temperature is in the neighborhood of 2900" F. The molten iron is directed into the shells by the pouring spout; Hf which is insertable through the central hub opening of one of the shells. The pouring spout constructed with two passageways or channels forsimultaneously' pouring molten iron against the brake flanges of both flanges of two individual brake drum shells, pouring brake engaging material upon the brake flanges with the insert therebetween while the shells and insert are being rotated, and then separating the insert and the shells having the brake engaging material.

4. In the method of forming brake drums, the steps of assembling two individual brake drum shells, heating the brake flanges of the shells while assembled, casting brake engaging material upon the inner faces of the brake flanges while the assembled shells are clamped together Shells- After e pouring'has been-completed;

cooled and sufficiently solidified, after which the 'rotationis discontinued and the" assembly com-- *pri'singt e lined shells and 'iem'ovedirorh the holder. After removal; the lined shells "insert 'are'separated'or disengaged from each annular insert is and annular oth'eh'this being easily accomplished since the -castiron has been prevented'fromiusing with the annular insert by reason of the refractory surface -'-of the insert. I brake drums are secured of the character illusf'trated-in' Figure 5 in which the lining 2| is fused *to or"molecularly bonded with the brake flange As a result, two lined 2 and also the adjacent. portion of the web 3 of' 'th shell. Furthermore, the annular sealing groove 22 is'provided between the free edge portionof -the enlarged portion 4 and the free edge portion of the lining zl, this groove being for use-in sealing the-brake drum by the backing plate after the brake drum has been assembled "ona motor vehicle wheel. Iirom the above" description,- it will be readily 'seerr'that I have providedaneconornical method have in their freeedges the desired annular sealing" grooves;

Wliat I claim as'my'invention is:

1. In the method of forming brake drums, th steps of holdings. pair of" individual brake drum shells in substantially axially aligned relation witlitheir brake'flanges extending toward each other, directing brake engaging material simultaneously against the inner surfaces of the brake flanges during rotation of the shells'and at the same time forming annular grooves by controlling the flow of the'brake engaging material in the zones of the free edges of the brake flanges, "and then separatingthe lined shells.

.2. In the method 01' forming brake drums, the steps of holding a pair of individual brake drum shells in substantially axially alignedrelation with their brake flanges extending toward each other, directing brake engaging material simultaneously against the inner surfaces of the brake flanges during rotation of the shells and meanwhile separating the material in one shell from the material in the other shell, and then separating the lined shells. I

3. In the method of forming brakedrums, the steps of placing an insert between the brake the steps of placing an insert between the brake flanges of two individual sheet metal brake drum rotation is continued until the'molten hfon 'has 'fshells, heating the shells with the insert therebetween, casting brake engaging material upon the inner faces of the brake flanges while the shells are heated and the shells and insert. are clamped together and being' rotated, and then separating the insert and the lined shells.

6. In the method of forming lined brake drums,

the steps of placing a refractory surfaced annular insert between and extending radially inwardly beyond the free edges of the brake flangesand also within the brake flanges of two individual sheet metal brake drum shells, heating the shells with the insert therebetween, casting brake engaging material against the inner :faces of the brake flanges and also against the insert while the shells are heated and while the shells and insert are clamped together and being rotated, and then separating the insert and the lined shells, thereby forming lined-brake drums having annular grooves at their free edges.

7. In the method of forming brake drums, the steps of placing an'insert between the radial flanges at the free edges of the brake flanges of two individual brake drum shells; heating the shells with the insert therebetween, transferring the heatedshells with the insert therebetween while supporting .the shells and insert from one of the radial flanges, casting brake engaging material upon the brake flanges while heated and with the insert therebetween-and while the shells are being rotated, and then separating the insert and the shells.

8. In the method of forming lined brake drums. the steps of placing an insert between the radial flanges at the free edges of the brake flanges of two individual "brake 'drum shells, heating-the shells with'the insert therebetween-while supporting the. shells and insert with their axes substantially vertical, clamping the shells. upon the insert and rotating the shells and insert with their axes substantially horizontal. simultaneously pouring brake engaging material upon the inner iacesof the brake-flanges while the shells and insert are clamped together and being rotated, and then disengaging the insert and the lined shells.

9. In the method of forming brake drums, the steps of placing an annular insert between and extendingradially inwardly beyond the free edges of the brake flangesand also within the brake flanges of two individual sheet metal brake drum shells, directing brake engaging material against the exposed portions of the inner faces of the brake flanges and also against the insert while the shells and insert are together and being rotated and then separating the insert and the lined shells.

. JOSEPH E. BATIE. 

